Runners brave cold in snow run

Fourteenpeople met at the Nenana parking lot bus shelter last Saturday for the annual snow run hosted by Running Club North, an organization that promotes running and running-related events in Fairbanks.

This 30-year old race used to be held at Fort Wainwright, but has been on the UAF campus since 2001, said Mary Brunner, who has been organizing this even since 2003. They moved the event from Fort Wainwright so people would not have to show theirID in order to enter the base. The purpose of this event is, “just to get people off the couch and get together and go run,” Brunner said.

Participants had two choices of races to choose from. The first was a four-mile run in which runners traveled through the UAF campus until they got to the bike path along Farmer’s Loop Road, then turned around and ran back the way they came. The second choice was a seven-mile race in which participants ran the same route as the four-mile race. Instead of turning around, however, runners continued along the bike path past Ballaine Lake, onto Yankovich Road, past the Muskox Farm, onto Miller Hill Road and returning to campus along Sheep Creek Road and Tanana Drive.

Three runners participated in the four-mile race, while the remaining 11 chose the seven-mile race. Among these competitors was senior. Foreign Language student Ross MacDougall, a member of the Alaska Nanook Cross Country running team. MacDougall ran the seven-mile race and won in 44 minutes and 20 seconds. This was the first time that MacDougall had participated in the snow run. “I try to make as many Running Club North events as I can,” MacDougall said. “But this is the first time I’ve done this one.”

A little light snow was falling during this event and it was overcast with the temperature hovering around four degrees below zero. Macdougall gave his thoughts on his first snow run experience. “The conditions were a little hectic in some places,” MacDougall said. “The fresh snow made it pretty slick and having the snow in your eyes is a little challenging, but regardless, it’s a good way to start off a Saturday.” MacDougall says that he plans on participating in this event again. The winner of the four-mile race was Jessica MacCallum, who is the office manager of the Office of the Bursar. She won in 43 minutes and 19 seconds.

At the end of the race, participants were treated to brownies and water to help them recharge for the rest of their Saturday.